so they look ahead, they see 2010 and think if taxes do go up for the middle class, it will be john boehner, and the republicans to take the blame. >> well, that may be but who is it going to play that kind of bluffing game with the debt ceiling because that's when you really risk tremendous market reactions and peril. i know you talked about david petraeus, and the whole foreign policy issue last night on charlie, martha, but do you-- t me ask you again, do you take seriously the notion that john kerry could be defense secretary? >> i think that was a trial balloon. >> you do? >> i 19, clearly both of those stories were trial balloons. president obama, obviously, took it a little further, quite a bit further today talking about susan rice. it was no longer a trial balloon. but i think john kerry-- you know, is that a consolation prize? i think he's probably always wanted to be secretary of state. i'm not sure how that would go over at the pentagon. i mean, when you talk abo someon goi into-- as secretary of state, who maybe doesn't have the experience that some people want. i think on the